Gate for railway-crossings



(NoModeL) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

. B. F. TEAL.

GATE FOR RAILWAY CROSSING-r8.

Patented Dec. 1, 1891.

A N 0 u v (No Modl.) 2 SheetsShet 2.

-B.F-.TEAL. GATE FOR RAILWAY CROSSINGS.

No. 464,048. Patented Dec. 1, 1891.

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NITE'D STAT PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN TEAL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GATE FOR RAILWAY-CROSSINGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 464,048, dated December 1, 1891.

Application filed April 30, 1891. Serial No. 391,087. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN TEAL, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gates for Railway-Crossings and Like Purposes, of which I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My present invention has relation to the improvement of gates of that class designed more especially for the crossings of railways, wherein the gates are operated by means of compressed air or other fluid; and the invention consists in various novel features of construction hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

Figure 1 is a view in vertical section, parts being shown in side elevation, through a double gate embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a View in vertical section through one of the gate-posts and the mechanism therein, parts being shown in elevation. Fig. 3 is an end view of the mechanism within the upper part of the gate-post, the casing of the post being'shown in Vertical transverse section. Fig. 4 is a detail View of the shiftingplate and the diaphragm carried thereby.

A designates the casing of the gate-post, this casing being preferably formed of the base, body, and cap sections, as shown, these sections being suitably flanged, as at a, to permit them to be conveniently bolted together. 7

Within the upper part of the casing A is journaled the gate-shaft 13, this shaft being sustained by suitable hubs or bearings a, formed upon the casing of the post. The shaft Bis preferably formed hollow, and through it is extended a tie-rod C, whereby the arms of the safety-gate D are bolted to the ends of the shaft. These arms D of the safety-gate are provided with suitable counterbalanceweights d in well-known manner.

Fixed upon the shaft B, and preferably cast integral therewith, is the shifting-plate E, which plate forms part of the air-chamber, into which the compressed air or other fluid will be forced in order to effect the movement of the gate.

F one end of the flexible and extensible airchamber or bellows G, the opposite end of this bellows being connected to a plate H, that also constitutes a part of the air-chamber, and is bolted to a ring 6, that projectsinward from the cap of the post. The bellows G will be clamped between the plate H and the ring g. In the plate H is formed an To the inner face of the shifting-plate E is attached by a suitable ring the shifting-plate E to and beyond the position seen in Fig. 2, causing the shaft B to turn and thereby raise the safety arm or gate D carried by this shaft.

To the shaft B is fixed an arm b, that connects by a link it with a rocking arm K, that is journaled upon a shaft L, extending across the base of the post. This rocking arm K has its opposite portion-preferably formed in the shape of'a segment-plate K, over which extends a chain m, connected by a rod m .to a corresponding chain a of the rocking arm K at the opposite post. The rod 171/ may extend through a suitable pipe at to protect it and insure its easy movement. The pipe m is connected with one of the posts A by means of a water-tight slip-joint m this slip-joint permitting the expansion and contraction of the pipe due to the changes of temperature, while at the same time serving to exclude water from the post. The slip-joint m may be a stuffing-box of any suitable construction.

The air-chambers in the posts A are identical in construction, but the arrangement of the connections between the gate-shafts and the rocking arms K, journaled at the base of the gate-posts, is different, in order to secure the unison movement of the safety-arms D of the gate. Thus it will be seen by reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings that the arms I) of the gate-shafts B extend in opposite directions-that is to say, toward each other-while the rocking arms K extend in the same direction. The object of this arrangement is to enable the opening or raising of the gates to be accomplished by one of the air-chambers and the lowering or closing of the gates to be effected by the opposite air-chamber, the connecting mechanism being so disposed as to secure the unison movement of the gates.

In order to hold the gates in look ed position when opened or closed, I prefer to provide the inner face of each of the caps of the gateposts with an incline R, terminating in an abrupt shoulder adapted to engage the end of a locking-bolt S, that is sustained in a manner free to slide in a suitable seat or extension e on the back of the shifting-plate E, this bolt having a beveled end to permit it to ride freely over the face of the incline R. The opposite end of the bolt S is provided with a suitable notch or seat to receive an offset 6, projecting from the releasing-arm or gravityarm '1, journaled between lugs on the back of the shifting-plate E. The shifting-plate E is preferably formed with a depressed or concave portion e, over which extends a diaphragm E and to this diaphragm E is suitably connected, as by the plates 0 and v, the inner end of a rod or stem V, that extends into proximity to the releasing-arm T and serves to shift this arm, as will presently more fully appear. Upon the inner face of the diaph ragm E is preferably bolted a plate P, that will come in contact with the coiled bufferspring P, suitably held within the air-chamber upon the inner face of the fixed plate H.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that when air is admitted into the airchamber of one of the posts, in order to effect the lowering of the safety-gates, the lock-bolt S,that is connected to the shifting-plate E of the chamber of the opposite post, will ride upon the incline R until it passes over the abrupt shoulder 0' thereof, and will then engage with such shoulder so as to prevent the raising of the gates until air is admitted for such purpose into the proper air-chamber, As soon, however, as air is admitted into the appropriate air-chamber for raising the gates the initial pressure of the compressed air will cause an outward movement of the diaphragm E and the stem or rod V by this outward movement of the diaphragm will cause the swinging of the releasing-plate T, thereby retracting the locking-bolt S. Hence as compressed air continues to enter this air-chamber the shifting-plate E will be caused to revolve, carrying with it the shaft B and the safety arm or gate connected to this shaft. By reason of the connections between the gateshafts B of each of the posts, itis manifest that when air is admitted to one of the airchambers for effecting the raising of the gatearms the connection between these shafts will insure the unison movement of both safety arms or gates, and so, also, when air is admitted to the opposite air-chamber to effect the lowering of the arms a like release will occur of the lock mechanism that serves to hold the gate-arms in elevated position, and alike unison closing action of the gate-arms will be effected. It is manifest that as the gate-arms are lowered or raised the buffersprings P will serve to avoid any shock incident to the too rapid descent of the arms.

As it is frequently desirable to provide a sidewalk-arm operated in unison with the street-arm of the gate,l journal withinthe upper portion of the casing A a shaft W, Whereon is mounted the sidewalk-arm W, this shaft having fixed thereto a suitable crank-arm w, that connects byalink W with a short arm or extension 1), formed upon the gate-shaft B. Hence it will be seen that when the safety arms or gates D are raised and lowered a corresponding movement of the sidewalk-arm will occur, and it is plain, also, that the same look mechanism which serves to control the street-arm will securely hold the sidewalk-arm as well.

By my improved mechanism sim pleand effective provision is made for delivering the force of the air directly upon the shiftingpl'ate and the arms connected to the shaft to which such plate is fixed, and the employment of an air-chamber formed of a bellows, the end of which is formed by the shiftingarm itself, tends greatly to simplify and cheapen the construction.

It will be readily understood that certain features of my invention may be employed without its adoption as an entirety, and that the precise details of construction above set out may be modified by the skilled mechanic without departing from the spirit of my invention. So, also, it is manifest that instead of the gate-arms or safety-arms D (which for convenience of description I term in the claims the gate proper) any other suitable form of gate may be employed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A railway or like gate comprising a suit.- able'post, a shaft journaled within said post, a gate proper operated by said shaft,a movable shifting-plate fixed upon said shaft, and

an air-chamber of which said shifting-plate forms one end, and a suitable pipe for the admission of air or other fluid to the chamber, whereby it will act directly upon said shiftlug-plate to effect the movement of the gatearm, substantially as described.

2. A railway or like gate comprising a hollow post, a gate-shaft journaled in said post, a gate proper fixed to said shaft, a movable shifting-plate fixed upon said shaft, an airchamber within said post having an extensible body connected to said shifting-plate, and a suitable pipe for admitting air or other fluid to said chamber, substantially as described.

3. A railway or like gate comprising a hollow post, a gate-shaft journaled within said post, a gate proper connected to said shaft, a movable shifting-plate fixed upon said shaft,

and an air-chamber within said post, said airchamber consisting of a flexible and extensible body, one end of which is attached to said shifting-plate and the other end of which is attached to a fixed head, and a suitable pipe for admitting air to said air-chamber, substantially as described.

4. A railway or like gate comprising a hollow post, a gate-shaft journaled within said post, a gate proper connected to said shaft, a movable shifting-plate fixed upon said shaft, an extensible air-chamber connected to said shifting-plate at one end and provided at its opposite end with a fixed head and a buffer within the air-chamber, and a suitable pipe for admitting air to said air-chamber, substantially as described.

5. A railway or like gate comprising a gate proper and an air-chamber having a movable side for operating said gate proper, alock for holding said gate in position, and a diaphragm connected with and sustained by' said air-- ing said gate in position, a diaphragm sustained by and in free communication with said air-chamber, and a suitable stem connected to said diaphragm and extending into position to operate the lock mechanism, substantially as described.

7. A railway or like gate comprising a hollow post, a gate-shaft journaled within said post, a gate proper connected to said shaft, a movable shifting-plate fixed upon said' shaft, and an air-chamber of which said shiftingplate is a side, said shifting-plate having attached thereto a diaphragm in free communication with the air-chamber, and carrying also look mechanism for holding the gate in position, and suitable means extending between said diaphragm and said lock mechanism, whereby When air is admitted to the airchamber to shift the plate a release of the lock mechanism will be effected, substantially as described.

8. A railway or like gate comprising ahollow post, a gate-shaft journaled within said hollow post, a gate proper connected to said shaft, a movable shifting-plate'fixed upon said shaft, an air-chamber suitably connected with said shifting-plate, and lock mechanism for holding said gate-arm in position, comprisinga bolt, a gravity-arm for shifting said bolt, and a diaphragm carried by the air-chamber and having an extension adapted to actuate said arm to shift the same when the bolt is to be released, substantially as described.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN TEAL. Witnesses:

FRED GERLACH, GEO. P. FISHER, Jr. 

